Trolley apparatus for unloading and supporting heavy coils of wound filament material from a winding machine to a packaging table

ABSTRACT

A trolley for moving heavy objects such as wire coils from a machine to a container at a packaging table is provided. The trolley includes spring-loaded spaced arms movably mounted for vertical height adjustment so that the arms are just below the coil when it is on the machine and rotational movement to separate the spaced arms with the spaced arms retaining the heavy object during movement of the trolley apparatus, and locking arms engaging the spaced arms during movement of the trolley apparatus to prevent separation thereof. The spring-loaded arms permit the heavy object to be manually pushed downward therebetween, thereby forcing the arms apart enabling the object to fall from the trolley into a container on a packaging table. The table includes a platform for supporting the container, a motor for raising/lowering the platform, and a mechanism for retaining the container and aiding its alignment with the coil.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

(1) Field of the Invention

This invention relates to apparatus and a process for unloading heavy packages from packaging machines and transporting them to a packaging table, and more particularly to such apparatus and a process for unloading heavy coils of wound filament material from a coil winding machine and transporting them to a coil packaging table. More specifically, the invention relates to such apparatus and process for unloading heavy coils of filament material wound in a REELEX figure eight configuration from a coil winding machine and transporting them to a coil packaging table that is capable of receiving the heavy package in a container positioned on the packaging table and has at least vertical degrees of movement. (REELEX is the trademark of REELEX Packaging Solution, Inc., 39 Jon Barrett Road, Patterson, N.Y. 12563. and registered under Trademark Registration Nos. 1,100,554 and 1,259,164. The REELEX wind is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,678,778; High Speed, Dual Head, On-Line Winding Apparatus; issued Oct. 21, 1997; U.S. Pat. No. 5,979,812; Coil with large Payout Hole and Tube for Kinkless Payout; issued Nov. 9, 1999; and U.S. Pat. No. 6,766,627; Machine for Boxing Wound Coils of Filamentary Material; issued Jul. 27, 2004.

(2) Description of Related Art

Prior to the subject invention, heavy coils of wound filament material were lifted manually from the coil winding machine, such as REELEX winders, and manually moved to a packaging table where the heavy coil was placed in a container. In all Reelex winding machines that require manual packaging, the coil is wound on a mandrel between two endforms. The mandrel has a plurality of segments (typically 6) that have a hinge arrangement that allows the mandrel segments to “collapse” once an endform is removed and the coil tugged on. This has the effect of making the mandrel diameter smaller so that the coil can be removed. In a typical layout, once the coil is completed, the operator would remove the endform, or it would be automatically removed, and tug on the coil. The mandrel segments would collapse and the coil would then be lifted off the mandrel. Then, in a typical factory set up, the operator would turn 180° and take one or two steps forward and place the coil on a table (packaging station). The packaging process consists of inserting a payout tube into the payout hole of the coil and threading the inner end of the wound material through the payout tube. The operator then lifts the coil and places it into a container. The container is then closed and lifted again to place it onto a pallet. The present invention provides an apparatus that is used to help unload and support heavy coils of wound filamentary material from manual coil winders that are manually wheeled to a packaging station where they are placed in appropriate package containers for shipment or storage as the case may be. The Trolley device eliminates any need to ever lift the coil as will become apparent in the description.

However, the invention is not limited solely to the handling of heavy coils but, as will be apparent from the following description, has broad application to the handling of many objects other than coils that need to be moved from one place to a packaging table.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The apparatus of the invention comprises a wheeled trolley apparatus used to help unload and support heavy coils of wound filamentary material from manual winding machines and transports them on the wheeled apparatus to a packaging table where they are deposited in appropriate coil containers on the packaging table. The packaging table itself has features, such as vertical movement and arms to position the container on the packaging table enabling the heavy coils to be deposited into an appropriate container on the packaging table.

The wound coil is manually removed, but not lifted, from the winding machine and placed on a wheeled trolley apparatus having two spaced arms for supporting the wound coil. The arms are mounted to a wheeled cart-like apparatus enabling the wound coil to be easily transported to a packaging table containing a container into which the coil is placed after being removed from the arms of the trolley apparatus.

The trolley apparatus and packaging table of the invention has specific application to the unloading of heavy coils of filamentary material wound in a figure-eight configuration known in the trade as a REELEX wind from a REELEX manual winding machine. The REELEX wind is described in the aforementioned U.S. patents. However, the invention is not limited to the handling of heavy wound coils of filamentary material, but has application to the handling of any type of heavy object that is to be transported from a machine to a packaging table.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS

The objects, features and advantages disclosed herein are readily apparent from the following description of a preferred embodiment of the best mode of carrying out the invention when taken in conjunction with the following drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a front view of the wheeled trolley apparatus showing the spaced support arms for retaining the heavy wound coil in the trolley apparatus; the spaced arms are built around an axle and are free to spin.

FIG. 2 is a front view of the trolley apparatus showing the rotation of one of the spaced support arms to assist in placing the wound coil on the trolley apparatus and removal of the heavy wound coils from the trolley apparatus;

FIG. 3 is a rear view of the trolley apparatus showing the rotatable attachment of the spaced support arms to the back of the trolley apparatus and the rotatable locking/unlocking members for securing/releasing the spaced support arms for placing the heavy wound coils on the trolley apparatus and removing the heavy wound coils from the trolley apparatus. In this Fig. the rotatable locking/unlocking members are shown in their upright position for enabling rotation of the spaced support arms;

FIG. 4 is an oblique view of the back of the trolley apparatus showing the rotatable locking members in their locked position preventing movement of the spaced support arms;

FIG. 5 is an oblique view of the back of the trolley apparatus showing the guide rails for raising/lowering the platform for supporting the heavy coils, the guide rails for raising/lowering the locking mechanism and the attachment of the rotatable spaced support arms to the trolley apparatus and the torsion springs that keep the arms against the stops (5-40);

FIG. 6 is a side view of the trolley apparatus showing the manual removal of the heavy wound coil from the winding machine; it is important to note that the coil is never lifted. By tugging on the coil, the mandrel collapses and the coil falls onto the support arms and with the locks on, the coil will not force the support arms apart;

FIG. 7 shows the heavy wound coil, having fallen onto the arms, being held by the Reelex machine operator to stabilize it on the arms of the trolley apparatus as it is withdrawn from the collapsed mandrel;

FIG. 8 shows a heavy wound coil on the trolley apparatus being rolled to a packaging table;

FIG. 9 shows the trolley apparatus with the heavy wound coil mounted between the arms of the trolley apparatus as the trolley apparatus approaches the packaging table;

FIG. 10 shows the heavy wound coil and trolley device being aligned with the package container;

FIG. 11. With the arm locks turned to the unlock position, shows the heavy wound coil being pushed downward thereby forcing the two arms apart and allowing the coil to slide between them and into the package container.

FIG. 12 shows the heavy wound coil, having slipped between the arms, deposited in the package container;

FIG. 13 shows the trolley apparatus being removed from the vicinity of the package container;

FIG. 14 shows the trolley apparatus being completely removed from the package container and the heavy wound coil being placed in the package container;

FIG. 15 illustrates the packaging table and the trolley apparatus with a container positioned on the packaging table and with the trolley apparatus just removed from a position over the container;

FIG. 16 is an overhead view of the trolley apparatus at the packaging table and showing the position of the trolley apparatus and the spaced arms for supporting the heavy coil;

FIG. 17 is a side view of the packaging table with a container supported thereon and the vertical tower including a motor for raising and lowering the packaging table; and

FIG. 18 is an overhead view of the packaging table showing the vertical tower, foot-operated tread switches for raising and lowering the packaging table, and the spaced arms for holding the container on the packaging table.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

FIGS. 1-5 are directed to the construction of the trolley apparatus and FIGS. 6-14 are directed to the manner in which the trolley apparatus is used to convey a heavy coil from a winding machine to a container, mounted on a packaging table, for shipment. FIGS. 16-18 are directed to the packaging table for receiving the heavy package from the trolley apparatus and the cooperation of the trolley apparatus with the packaging table.

The front view of the trolley apparatus 1-10 in FIG. 1 includes frame member 1-12 with a carriage 1-14 having wheels 1-16 and 1-18 mounted on a wheeled platform 1-20. Coil guide 1-22 is mounted on vertically extending slide member 1-24 to be movable vertically for reasons that will be described hereafter. Back support member 1-26 is also movably mounted to slide member 1-24 and includes spaced arm members 1-28, 1-30. Spaced arm locking members 1-32, 1-34 serve to prevent outward movement of spaced arm members 1-28, 1-30 as is described hereinafter. In FIG. 1 spaced arm locking members 1-32, 1-34 are shown in their inoperative position, i.e. enabling outward movement of spaced arm members 1-28, 1-30.

FIG. 2 illustrates the manner in which a spaced arm member 2-30, if unlocked, is free to rotate outward to enable the heavy coil to pass between the two arms when the coil is simply pushed downward. Spaced arm member 2-28 is illustrated in its normal rest position.

FIG. 3 illustrates the back of the trolley apparatus 3-10 with spaced arm members 3-28, 3-30 mounted on respective arm members 3-36, 3-38 attached to back panel member 3-26. The entire panel 3-26 height can be adjusted which will have the effect of allowing the height of the arms 3-28, 3-30 to accommodate different coil diameters when removing the coil from the winding machine. The height is adjusted so that the arms are just under the coil so that when the coil is tugged on it falls onto the arms. Spaced locking arms 3-32, 3-34 are mounted to a movable member 3-40 whereby the spaced locking arms can be moved vertically upwardly or downwardly in conjunction with the vertical movement of spaced arm members 3-28, 3-30. Stop members 3-40, 3-42 limit the inward movement of the spaced arm members 3-38, 3-40. Also, by raising or lowering members 3-38, 3-40 the spacing of the arms 3-28, 3-30 will be altered. This is done to adjust the arm spacing 3-28, 3-30 to accommodate different coil diameters. Guide member 3-22 is also shown. During the packaging process, when the coil is pushed downward—causing the arms to open—the coil might hit the container edge closest to the trolley and prevent the coil from properly entering the container. The guide 3-22 is a plate that is slightly angled from the vertical that “hides” the container's edge from the coil. The coil NEVER rests on this plate. Rather the coil is simply guided by it as it enters the container.

FIG. 4 shows locking arm 4-32 engaging spaced arm member 4-28 thereby preventing rotation of the latter, which is the position of these members with a heavy coil (not shown) in the trolley apparatus 4-10.

FIG. 5 is a detail view of the back panel member 5-26, space member arm 5-48, with stopping member 5-40 and locking arm 5-32 in its inoperative position, i.e. not engaging spaced arm member 5-48. Also visible are the torsion springs located around the rotation points of arms 5-48 (& the other arm). The springs are necessary to prevent the weight of the coil from naturally opening the spacing between the support arms if the lock 5-32 is in the “off” position. It is desired that the operator gently push downward on the coil to force the arms to separate and allow the coil to pass between the arms.

In FIG. 6 the trolley apparatus 6-10 is shown with carriage 6-12 and arms 6-28 (only one shown in FIG. 6) mounted thereon in spaced relation to one another to support heavy wound coil 6-50 which is shown being removed by hand from the mandrel 6-52 of a manually operated coil winding machine. As described earlier, the operator simply tugs on the coil which causes the mandrel segments to collapse naturally dropping the coil onto the arms of the trolley. The operator does not lift the heavy coil.

In FIG. 7 the heavy coil 7-50, having been dropped onto the trolley, and resting between the arms 7-28, 7-30, is being backed away from the winding machine. The trolley apparatus 7-10 includes wheels 7-16, 7-20 enabling the trolley apparatus to be rolled from the winding machine to the packaging table (to be described later. The spaced arms 7-28, 7-30 support the heavy coil as shown in FIGS. 8 and 9.

In FIG. 8 the heavy wound coil 8-50 is shown supported by spaced arms 8-28, 8-30 mounted on trolley apparatus 8-10, thereby enabling the heavy coil 8-50 to be easily rolled from the mandrel of the winding machine to the packaging table (shown in FIGS. 9-14).

In FIG. 9 the base of the trolley device is being aligned with the base of the packaging table so that the heavy wound coil 9-50 is over the packaging container in preparation for allowing the heavy wound coil to drop into a package container 9-54. The bottom of the trolley and the base of the packaging table are designed as a mate to one another to aid with the left/right alignment process.

In FIG. 10 the heavy wound coil 10-50 is shown aligned with the packaging container. Not visible in the figure is the guide plate 3-22 discussed in section [0029]. The guide plate 3-22 which now covers the edge of the container will prevent the coil from hitting the edge of the container that is nearest the trolley device.

In FIG. 11 the operator would, at this time, insert a payout tube into the payout hole of the coil and thread the inner end of the coil through the payout tube. These few operations are not shown. In this figure the operator has unlocked the support arms 11-28, 11-30 and is preparing to push downward on the heavy wound coil 11-50. By the simple action of pushing down, the arms will separate against the torsion spring resistance and the coil will pass through the arms and drop into the container with absolutely no lifting of the heavy coil required.

In FIG. 12 the heavy coil 12-50 having passed between the support arms 12-28, 12-30 is in the package container 12-54.

In FIG. 13 the trolley apparatus 13-10 is shown being withdrawn from the package container 13-54 with the heavy wound coil 13-50 placed inside the package container 13-54.

In FIG. 14 the trolley apparatus 14-10 is shown being wheeled or rolled away from the package container 14-54 on the packaging table and in FIG. 15 the wheeled trolley apparatus 14-12 is shown completely removed from the packaging table 14-34.

In FIG. 15 the trolley apparatus 15-10 is shown wheeled away from the packaging table 15-40 so that the container can be closed for shipment or storage as the case may be.

The packaging table 15-40 is shown in FIG. 15 supporting a container 15-42 and with the trolley apparatus 15-10 removed from a position over the packaging table 15-40. Presumably a heavy coil or other object has been removed from the trolley apparatus 15-10 and into the container 15-42.

In FIG. 16 the spaced arms 16-28 of the wheeled trolley apparatus 16-10 is shown positioned over the container 16-42 and upon separation of the spaced arms 16-28 the object supported by the trolley apparatus 16-10 can be deposited into the container 16-42. Also, the guide 3-22 discussed in [0029] is shown. The need for such a guide can now be seen. Once the trolley is against the package container, the coil might strike the edge of the container and prevent it from properly entering the container. The guide 3-22 prevents this from happening.

In FIG. 17 the container 17-42 is supported by the packaging table 17-44 container 17-42 being held in position on the platform 17-44 by rotatable arms 17-46 (only one being shown in FIG. 17). Vertical tower 17-48 consists of a vertical drive for raising and lowering the platform 17-40.

FIG. 18 shows the packaging table 18-40 with platform 18-46, arms 18-47 for retaining a container on the platform 18-40, the vertical tower 18-48 and switches 18-50, 18-52 for controlling the raising or lowering of the platform 18-40. Vertical tower 18-48 includes a mechanism for raising and lowering the packaging table 18-40 by foot-activated switch 18-50 for lowering the packaging table and foot-activated switch 18-52 for raising the packaging table. Vertical tower 18-48 includes limit switches for controlling both the lower and higher limits of movement of the packaging table platform 18-40.

The present invention enables heavy objects to be removed from a machine and placed on a trolley apparatus and rolled or wheeled to a packaging table where the heavy object may be relatively easily manually removed from the trolley apparatus and placed in a package container retained on the packaging table. The trolley apparatus utilizes spaced arms that are rotated to enable the heavy object to be placed on the trolley apparatus and to be separated at the package container station to enable easy removal of the heavy object from the trolley apparatus and lowered into a container at the package/container station.

The packaging table is used in conjunction with the trolley apparatus to retain a container on a platform of the packaging table with the container secured by arms on either side of the container and with a vertical tower controlled by switches to elevate or lower the platform. The packaging table thus offers a simple construction for supporting a container on the platform of the packaging table and for raising or lowering the platform to accommodate different sized containers. The trolley apparatus and the packaging table mate with one other to ensure the proper delivery of the heavy object to the packaging table.

The invention has specific application to enable heavy wound coils to be manually removed from a coil winding machine and placed on a trolley apparatus and rolled or wheeled to a heavy coil packaging table where the heavy wound coil with no lifting and minimal effort may be dropped in a coil package container. The trolley apparatus utilizes spaced arms that are rotated to enable the heavy wound coil to be placed on the trolley apparatus and to be separated, simply by unlocking the arms and pushing down on the heavy coil at the package container station to enable the heavy wound coil from the trolley apparatus to be dropped into a container at the coil package/container station.

The spaced arms are also mounted to be moved vertically to enable adjustment of the spaced arms.

Prior to this invention the heavy coil had to be manually moved from the mandrel of the winding machine and carried to the package container which was a strenuous exercise.

The base of the packaging table is designed to facilitate alignment with the trolley so that the trolley and the package container are aligned when the heavy coil is dropped into the container.

The design of the packaging table enables it to be raised or lowered by appropriate foot-activated control switches, the packaging table also includes rotatable arms on each side of the package container resting on the packaging table platform to prevent it from falling off the platform and to keep it properly aligned under the trolley. The height of the platform may be adjusted to enable the package to be handled more easily by the operator of the packaging table. 

1. Trolley apparatus for moving heavy objects from a machine to a container at a packaging table station, comprising: a wheeled trolley apparatus having spaced arms movably mounted thereon for vertical height adjustment so that the arms are just below the coil when it is on the winding machine and rotational movement to separate the spaced arms; and spaced arms for retaining said heavy object during movement of the trolley apparatus; said heavy object being manually slid onto said spaced arms for wheeled movement of the trolley apparatus and the heavy object from said machine to said coil packaging table station; locking arms engaging said spaced arms during movement of said trolley apparatus to prevent separation of the spaced arms; and said heavy object being manually pushed downward between the arms of said trolley apparatus forcing the spaced arms apart enabling the heavy object to fall from the trolley apparatus into the container through the separated spaced arms.
 2. A trolley apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein said spaced arms are supported by said trolley apparatus at a distance from the floor supporting said trolley apparatus that is convenient for the operator of said trolley apparatus to manually slide the heavy coils onto said spaced arms and to manually push said heavy object through said spaced arms at the packaging table.
 3. A trolley apparatus as claimed in claim 1 where said heavy object is a heavy wound coil from a coil winding machine and the heavy wound coil is deposited in said container at said packaging table.
 4. A trolley apparatus as claimed in claim 2 where said heavy object is a heavy wound coil from a coil winding machine and the heavy wound coil is deposited in said container at said packaging table.
 5. A packaging table for retaining a container to receive heavy objects transported by a trolley apparatus, comprising: a platform for supporting the container and movable in a vertical direction; said packaging table including a motor for raising or lowering said platform; said platform including means for retaining said container to prevent slippage from the platform and aid in alignment of said heavy coil and the packaging continer; and a pair of foot-operated switches, one of said switches activating said motor to raise said platform and the other of said switches activating said motor to lower said platform.
 6. A packaging table as claimed in claim 5 further comprising: a pair of limit switches for controlling the lower and upper movement of said platform.
 7. A trolley apparatus as claimed in claim 1 further comprising a packaging table for retaining a container to receive heavy objects transported by a trolley apparatus, comprising: a platform for supporting the container and movable in a vertical direction; said packaging table including a motor for raising or lowering said platform; said platform including means for retaining said container to prevent slippage from the platform and aid in alignment of said heavy coil and the packaging continer; and a pair of foot-operated switches, one of said switches activating said motor to raise said platform and the other of said switches activating said motor to lower said platform. 